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It took roughly 20 relationships one of which was a 7 year marriage before I truly learned what love was. I learned how to really love someone when I was single. Tune in as I share one of my more personal podcasts. On this episode I discuss my relationship with my partner Lindsey and how I was able to learn to fully love her when I was in a moment of deep self transformation.  I share my understanding of the 3 levels of love and how we really should all be aiming to be on level 3 with those around us that we do truly care about. How do you love? Level 1? Level 2? or Level 3?  Tune in to find out how they are different and why level 3 is where you want to be.

I was supposed to record this podcast yesterday @ 2pm. I didn't. I was supposed to be sleeping at 4am this morning. I wasn't. I was supposed to get a ton of work done on projects I really don't want to work on. I didn't. Why? Well there are a ton of reasons I could rhyme off but to sum it all up in one sentence, "life is hard." And guess what it is supposed to be.  Life will constantly be 1 step forward and 2 steps back . We've all heard it before but I will say it again, life is not about what "happens to us" it is about how we react. Challenge yourself to find even the slightest opportunity in any and all of lives challenges and watch your reality change.

After 2.5 years of running The Half A Dozen Hospitality Podcast it is time for me to step into me. It is time for growth and time for me to feel uncomfortable a bit. It is time for the Brad Bodnarchuk Podcast. Join me for episode 1 as I break down in more detail what motivated the change and what you can expect from the new podcast format. Excited for what's to come and to have you along for the ride.

Rounding out my trip to Cape Breton Island in Sydney enjoying likely one of the best tuna burgers I've ever eaten out of a food truck parked on the water next to a large green space with the sun shining down on me was as close to perfection as I could have imagined. Sitting down with Chef Rich Moore of Sydney's Lobster Pound & Moore was not only fun and funny but it was also educational. Having both spent time in Vancouver Rich and I had a lot to chat about and we had even visited a lot of the same restaurants and even knew some of the same folks. Chef Rich and his partner Lesley have created an incredible business with awesome, fresh and innovative food. Food that made me feel proud. Food that made me appreciate food...if that makes sense. I encourage you to head in to see the team at The Lobster Pound & Moore as soon as humanly possible for their great service and world class grub. Oh and don't forget to ask Rich to tell you the brick story.

I felt like I was sitting down with someone I either went to school with or at the very least had met before. Hosting Pauline Singer from Cape Breton Farmers Market was one of the more relaxed and enjoyable podcasts that I've had in a very long time. While I enjoy 99.9% of the guests that I get an opportunity to sit down with Pauline was a true pleasure. We chatted food, culture, music, heck I even called the iconic fiddle on the Sydney waterfront a violin and she still made me feel comfortable. For me a town or cities farmers market can really give you the pulse of what is going on in the community and where the interests are from the general public. Having someone at Pauline at the helm of the farmers market ship every vendor and every guest to the market is in great hands. Pauline is an absolute gem and I am excited to keep in contact with her in the hopes of doing round II of the podcast sometime. Be sure to follow Pauline and all of her team HERE and be sure to check the farmers market out the next time you find yourself in Sydney, Cape Breton.

Over the past 5 years we've seen unique ceramic pop up more and more in the restaurants, cafes, hotels and shops we all know and love. These pieces are usually handmade from start to finish and truly are a highly considered piece of the puzzle when composing a menu or especially a given dish. If you haven't seen a Kelsey Watson piece on a table near you yet. Just wait. Kelsey is a true talent and as humble as they come. Recording in her studio I truly felt like a student as I was able to pose questions that admittedly I was selfishly asking for myself. Kelsey played along and made for a great podcast with her story, her tips on inspiration, and just her willingness to do something such as guest on a podcast which was likely totally out of the norm for Kelsey. Be sure to follow Kelsey HERE and grab a piece of her work while you can.

To say I had a blast recording this podcast is an absolute understatement. Bryden Mombourquette, Nathan Park of Sydney's Gaslight Cafe and I hit record at 6:20am and I have never enjoyed a morning podcast more. The conversation flowed naturally as I learned about Bryden and Nathan's stories both as individuals and as a couple in business and in life. I am so inspired by Bryden and Nathan and I admittedly want to spend more time around these two incredible humans who are just solid people... not to mention they hold the key to some of the most delicious pies I have ever tasted. You will hear stories about travel, seconds homes, life, pies, tough business realities and how these two have risen above all of the naysayers to create an awesome space that is truly accessible.  Be sure to give the Gaslight Cafe a follow HERE and be sure to stop in and say "hey" to Nathan and Bryden when you find yourself in Sydney next.

What started out as a roadside fruit stand has turned into a massive business that is now synonymous with trips to Cape Breton Island.  The Farmers Daughter actually welcomed me to Cape Breton even before I met the REAL Farmers Daughter Heather Austin - Coulombe.  Arriving in Cape Breton I was hungry and I was blown away with the incredible options that were on display at The Farmers Daughter. Everything looked to be and I am sure it was homemade and extremely fresh. I could have stayed for hours and eaten my body weight in molasses cookies.  What Heather and her team have created is truly a Nova Scotia gem and I was lucky to have the opportunity to sit down with her and learn her story.  Heather was kind enough to invite me out to here 100 acre farm where we sat on the edge of the Bras d'Or Lakes and discussed leadership, hospitality, and how Cape Breton is still truly a hidden gem at a world class level.

I've now recorded well over 100 podcasts and I still cannot sit down for one and feel a slight bit of nervousness. Perhaps a butterfly in my stomach? Whatever it is until I hit the record button I am on edge. I had a feeling James was as well, seeing as this was his first ever podcast. However the Owner of Doktor Lukes A Respectable Coffee House was an awesome guest and ended up sharing some great stories, advice and anecdotes.  James is extremely passionate about all things coffee and equally as passionate about the city he calls home, Sydney on Cape Breton Island. I was able to learn a lot from James and learn his unique story as he's become the owner and operator of a quant and slick coffee shop that I would happily post up in for some beverages and a day of smashing some work on my laptop. James did an awesome job on this podcast and I would happily have him back on the show any day! Be sure to give James and his team a follow over HERE. 

To say I learn a lot from my guests is an understatement. Cherie Swift was no different. While I still feel like there is more to Cherie yet to be discovered by me and this podcast I was still so excited to host her on this show and learn her story. Cherie does it all at GRA and is seemingly executing everything that is so near and dear to her heart.  I learned Cherie's take on hospitality, her history with hops, how she defines good service and why she thinks Cape Breton Nova Scotia is more stunning than some of the most travelled spots in Italy. Cherie was a fantastic guest and is an even better person.  Be sure to stop in and see her team at GRA when you're in her neck of th woods.

Do you like chocolate? Do you like incredibly nice people who are out there hustling? Yup, me too! You're going to love this weeks podcast with Penny and Deb from Cabotto Chocolates on the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island.  This week we are featuring our 4th instalment of the Coming Home To Hospitality Series brought to you by the awesome team over at Tourism Nova Scotia. Thank you Penny and Deb for being such great guests and sharing so openly with myself and our listeners your stories. Here's to shining a light on more awesome people like these two doing honest, creative and inspiring work! Be sure to stop in and see both Penny and Deb when you find yourself on the Cabot Trail next time and tell them what an awesome job they did on the podcast!

Elizabeth Gilbert writes in her book Big Magic that "It’s a relationship, it’s a conversation, and all it wants is to be treated with respect and dignity — and it will return ten thousand times over." and what she's speaking to is inspiration. Inspiration came up a bunch for me in this weeks podcast where I sat down with Courtney Smith of Victoria County Creates in Baddeck, NS. Courtney and her team run a shop that features well over 100 artists from just the surrounding county. The amount of talent is incredible and the amount of inspiration in Courtney's shop is the same. Courtney is as humble as they come and was such a delight to host on the podcast and learn from. Courtney taught me a lot about the talent in the local area as well as how she and her team thrive off of the creativity of the very artists that they feature. This episode in itself is inspiring.

On this episode you will hear host Brad Bodnarchuk chat with creative entrepreneur and passionate Cape Breton resident Lee Fraser of Live Life In Tents. Lee was kind enough to invite me into his home for this podcast where we unpacked a lot of different topics. Lee shares his love for all things Cape Breton and his desire to share it with others. Lee breaks down what he and his team get up to on the daily with their businesses and also tackles some important social issues in regards to respecting the land in Cape Breton.  Lee and I also discuss his successful project Northern BBQ with acclaimed Chef and Cape Breton son Bryan Picard and the power of mixing food in with experiences to create a deep and meaningful connection and impact. I know you'll love this podcast! Brought to you by Tourism Nova Scotia

Brought to you by Tourism Nova Scotia I am excited to rediscover the creative hospitality scene that makes up my home Province and share this series with you all. On this weeks episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chef Jeremy Howell of the Inverary Resort in Baddeck, N.S. Jeremy shares with us his story from inside the kitchen, starting out as most as a dishwasher and working his way up to the Executive Chef level at a gorgeous resort such as the Inverary in Cape Breton. Jeremy breaks down how he leads his team after years of learning from other mentors. He shares his creative process with us as he describes how a dish goes from a vision to something actually on a plate. And he dives into why he does what he does, why he has chosen this industry and why he chooses to do it in Cape Breton.   

After 19 years with RANS Director Gordon Stewart and his colleagues are faced with an extremely challenging time as they work to deal with all that this pandemic has thrown at them. Tune in to hear Gordon break down his approach to creating positive change in our industry and why he holds time with family so high on his priority list. This is an episode you do not want to miss.

"Sometimes you must move on, to another job or another woman. That’s fine, if it is a true movement of growth: clear, empowering, and an aspect of the ongoing giving of your gift. But, more often than not, your first impulse to move on comes when you have ceased invading the moment with your fullest capacity to give and instead are droning along, coping rather than creating." Taken from David Deida's The Way of the Superior Man I was motivated to speak to this today as I feel like it pertains to so many in the hospitality industry and in life in general. Host Brad Bodnarchuk asks for everyone, including himself to stop and take a look in the mirror and ask yourself honestly in this moment are you simply coping or are you creating? A powerful reflection that perhaps more of us should take on today.  

The hospitality industry has gone through so many ups and downs since the pandemic rocked the world and not unlike many other industries it is easy to understand if everyone is getting a little tired.   I encourage you however to dig deep and touch base with your vision for your business. Why did you even start your shop? What was it about this industry that drew you to create what you've created? When it was day #1 what was your vision.   Touching base with our ultimate vision in life and in business is an extremely healthy and worthwhile practice that for so many of us could rejuvenate us just enough to push through this madness that is this pandemic.   Tune in to the latest podcast for a quick reminder of why your vision is so crucial to any type of success that you wish to have. 

It is time to take control of your reality in this industry and one of the best ways to do that while creating success is seeking discomfort every single day.   Tune in to hear host Brad Bodnarchuk break down the famed Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that has impacted him so greatly over the past few years.

If there was ever the time to test something out, try something new, or heck even raise your prices, the time IS NOW. On this weeks podcast I discuss why we need to use this time right now to operate from a place of no fear, take control of the things we can control and use the power of community to help each and every one of us out. As my good friend Danny Meyer has said (Danny Meyer actually has no idea who I am) "A rising tide lifts all ships." The time is now to form a collective and support each other blindly especially with aspects of our industry such as pricing.  

As I wrap up what has been a fun 5 weeks of sharing I am excited to share this weeks episode with you all. This week I break down how ego and our inability to ask for help is truly holding us back. If you haven't followed along to all 5 weeks I encourage you to go back and listen to week 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well. Here's to changing our individual mindsets within our industry so that we can build a stronger, more enjoyable and more durable industry for us all to enjoy.